Directional control for bombs



Dec 9, 1947. J. H. HIOMRIGHOUS 2,432,421

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOR BOMBS Filed Jan. 8, 1942 VIIIIIII/IIIII/IIIII/ INVENTOR.

' tion'.

Patented Dec. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOR BOIWBS John H. Homrighous, OakPark, Ill. Application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 425,972

2 Claims.

- i This invention relates to improved methods for automatically controlling the trajectory of bombs,

after they have been released from airplanes.

Accordingly one of the main objects of my invention is the provision of means in a bomb for changing its direction of travel from approximately a vertical descent to approximately a horizontal motion, whereby the bomb may be directed toward the side of a ship rather than on top of the vessel.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means in a bomb responsive to radio waves for causing the bomb to change its direction of travel. 1

Other objects, features, and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof in which:

Figure 1 shows a cross section of a bomb having mechanism for. changing its trajectory.

Figure 2 shows a curve illustrating the trajectory of the bomb.

Figure 3 shows a circuit for controlling the steering mechanism for the bomb shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows an aerial bomb having a multicompartment arrangement for housing the circuits of Figure 3 and the mechanism for con trolling, the rudder. Whereby its direction of travel may be changed from a vertical descent to a gliding or approximately a horizontal mo- The control devices may be placed in an upper compartment i and the circuits of Figure 3 in the intermediate compartment 2 with the exrotation of the rudder ill at the proper height above the surface of the water may cause the bomb to glide toward the side of a ship at M.

Referring to Figure 3 I have shown a radio receiving circuit with associated apparatus for mounting in the compartment 2 of Figure 1. This circuit may be responsive to carrier waves received from a transmitter or transmitter target to control the direction of travel of the bomb. The contacts l5 may be closed by removal of a safety pin (not shown) to cause current to flow through the several tube filaments. The timing fuse or clock mechanism l6 may be actuated after a predetermined period of descent to close a circuit from the battery I! to the receiver tube anodes. The antenna i8 may be fitted in the center of and insulated from the tube l9, which tube may be secured in the bomb as shown in Figure 1.

The antenna I8 may intercept carrier waves from a target transmitter or a distant transmitter to alter the potential on the grid of tube 20. The secondary winding of' the transformer 2| may be tuned by the variable condenser 22 to 25 any desired wave length. The potential change plosive part of the bomb represented at 3. Lo-

cated inside of the compartment l is a lever 4' pivoted at 5 and held under tension of spring 6 by the tip finger I on the trip lever 8. The trip lever B may be actuated by blowing or disrupting the fuse link 9, thereby releasing the lever 4. The lever 4, in its downward travel caused by spring 6, pulls the fin or rudder Ill by the cable ll into an angular position, whereby the bomb will glide in a horizontal motion as illustrated in Figure'2.

Referring to Figure 2 the numeral l2 represents the position of the bomb shortly after it has been released by an airplane, which may follow a downward course asshown by the curve produced in the tube 20 may be supplied through transformer 23 to the grid 22 of the grid glow tube 25. The potential on the control grid of tube 25 may be adjusted at the sliding contact 26 so that the tube 25 may be sensitive to small changes in potential to start the tube conducting, whereby high current flowing through the tube 25 and holding link 9 may disrupt the fuse link 9 permitting the end of the trip lever B to fall, actuating the rudder ID to cause the bomb to glide.

From the above description it, will be seen that I have provided means in a bomb responsive to radio carrier waves to cause the bomb to glide or change its direction of travel.

It is to be understood that the radio carrier waves for controlling the bomb may be reflected from the target instead of being developed at the target or object, in which case a beamed transmitting station would direct its radiation toward the target from some remote distance and the receiver in the bomb would be tuned to the revarious features may be accomplished and of the principles involved. It is to be understood that the invention contained herein is capable of embodiment in many, other forms and adaptations without departing from the spirit of the inven tion and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1; In a system for controlling the path of a moving object, a steering rudder rotatably mounted on said object, mechanism for controlling the rotation of said rudder, a spring for said mechanism, a device supported in said object comprising a disruptable link for holding said mechanism under tension of said spring to retain said rudder in a medial position, a radio antenna in said object, a radio receiver in said object, means in said receiver including said antenna to receive carrier waves, a source of current, and means in said receiver to utilize said carrier waves to close a circuit from said source of current through said link to disrupt the said link, thereby causing rotation of said rudder to change saidobjects di-' rection of travel.

2. In a system for controlling the path of a bomb, a steering rudder rotatably mounted on said bomb, mechanism for controlling the rotation oi said rudder, a spring for said mechanism, a device supported in said bomb comprising a disruptable link for holding said mechanism under tension of said spring to retain said rudder in a medial position, a radio receiver in said bomb, 9. source oi current, timing means in said bomb adapted to be actuated after a predetermined periocl of descent to close a circuit from said source of current to said receiver, a radio antenna in said bomb, means in said receiver including said antenna to receive carrier waves, and means in said receiver to utilize said carrier waves to close 4 a circuit from said source of current through said link to disrupt the same, thereby causing rotation of said rudder to change the said bombs direction of travel.

JOHN H. HOMRIGHOUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,109,475 Fanning ,Mar. 1, 1938 2,165,800 Koch Jul 11, 1939 2,044,819 Taylor June 23, 1936 1,384,868 Sperry et a1. July 19, 1921 1,388,932 Centervall Aug. 30, 1921 1,137,222 Leon Apr. 27, 1915 1,222,630 Husted Apr. 17, 1917 1,277,225 Lausen Aug. 27, 1918 2,137,598 Vos Nov. 22, 1938 2,144,056 Halbach Jan. 17, 1939 1,181,203 Alard May 2, 1916 1,508,317 Crocco et al, Sept. 9, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date a 473,958 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1937 618,654 France Dec. 20, 1926 797,933 France Feb. 24, 1936 339,479 Italy Apr. 22, 1936 309,505 Germany Nov. 28, 1918 Great Britain 1912 

